Clothespin



Oct. 30, 1962 LA VQ|E CLOTHESPIN Filed Feb. 16, 1961 United States Patent Ofiice 3,060,536 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 This invention relates to improvements in clothespins. It is an object of the present invention to provide a clothespin which is capable of being conveniently suspended from a clothesline and may be freely shifted along the clothesline when suspended therefrom, and items of clothing may be attached to or removed from the clothespin while the latter remains on the line.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a clothespin of the type stated having a pair of jaws rockably connected and spring biased together, one of the jaws having an integrally formed hook at one end thereof for hanging the clothespin on the line and co operating with the other jaw to prevent the clothespin from accidentally separating from the line.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a clothespin of the type stated which is simple and inexpensive to construct.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of clothespins on a clothesline, the clothespins being constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clothespin on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clothespin.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the clothespin.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a clothespin comprising a pair of jaws 1, 2, each being formed of a single piece of material, such as wood or plastic, and having spaced shanks 3, 4. At one end each jaw is transversely serrated on its inside face to provide cooperating article-gripping portions 6, 7. Spaced from the gripping portions 6, 7, the shanks 3, 4 have inwardly projecting flanges 8, 9 which extend across the full width of the shanks 3, 4. The flange 8 terminates in closely spaced relationship to the shank 3, abutting the flange 9 while the end of the flange 9 bears against the shank 4 adjacent to the flange 8, thereby providing a rocking connection between the two jaws 1, 2.

At the inner ends of the gripping portions 6, 7 the shanks 3, 4 have transverse grooves 10, 11 on their outer surfaces for receiving the bights 12, 13 of a wire spring 14 which biases the jaws 3, 4 toward their closed position. The spring 14 has V-shaped sides 16, 17 which are disposed along the sides of the shanks 3, 4, terminating approximately at the flange 9.

The shank 4 extends a substantial distance beyond the end 18 of the shank 3 and is reversely curved in the provision of a leg 19, the shank 4 and leg 19 forming a hook 20 for receiving a clothesline 21. When the jaws are closed without an article 22 therebetween, the end 23 of the leg 19 is closely spaced from the shank end 18 and in end-to-end relationship therewith. The distance between the ends 18, 23 is not critical but in practice will always be substantially less than the distance across the hook at the end 23.

When the shanks 3, 4 are pressed together :between the thumb and fingers of one hand of the user, the jaws will open as shown in broken lines, FIG. 6, whereupon the clothespin A may be hooked onto the clothesline 21, the latter entering the hook-opening between the leg end 23 and shank end 18. While the jaws are held apart, the article 22 to be held may be grasped by the other hand of the user and inserted between the portions 6, 7 whereupon the shanks are released so that the portions 6, 7 hold the article 22. As the jaws close, the distance between the ends 18, 23 will decrease and will be spaced apart a. distance less than the diameter of the clothesline 21, whereby the clothesline will be unable to become accidentally unhooked from the line 21.

Subsequently, the clothespin A may, if desired, be shifted along the length of the clothesline 21 without unclamping the article 22 from between the jaws. Furthermore, the article 22 may be easily removed from between the jaws without unhooking the clothespin A from the line 21.

The clothespin A is easily assembled by placing the jaws 1, 2 together and then sliding the spring 14 over the gripping portions 6, 7 until the bights 12, 13 seat in the grooves 10, 11.

It should also be noted that since the leg 19 terminates in close proximity to the end 18 of the shank 3, the hook 20 is, in effect, closed when the clothespin is not in use. This prevents the hooks of several of the clothespins from becoming snagged upon each other when they are stored in a box of similar container.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the present construction shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What is considered new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A clothespin comprising a pair of opposed jaws having cooperating means for rockably connecting the jaws together, said means comprising flanges on the jaws and projecting toward each other, one of the flanges terminating in closely spaced relationship to its opposite jaw and the other flange abutting against its opposite jaw adjacent to but spaced from said one flange, the region of abutment of said other flange and its opposite jaw constituting a fulcrum at which the jaws rock, one of said jaws being of one piece, and spring means biasing the jaws closed and retaining them in assembled relationship, said jaws having spaced shanks which may be pressed together to open the jaws, the shank of the one-piece jaw extending beyond the end of the other shank and terminating in a leg which extends toward said other shank, the extension and leg constituting a hook for receiving a clothesline when the jaws are open with the clothesline entering into the hook between said leg and said other shank, the leg being sufliciently close to said other shank when the jaws are closed to prevent retraction of the clothesline from between said leg and other shank.

2. A clothespin comprising a pair of opposed jaws having cooperating means for rockably connecting the jaws together, said means comprising flanges on the jaws and projecting toward each other, one of the flanges terminating in closely spaced relationship to its opposite jaw and the other flange abutting against its opposite jaw adjacent to but spaced from said one flange, the region of abutment of said other flange and its opposite jaw constituting a fulcrum at which the jaws rock, one of said jaws being of one piece, and spring means biasing the jaws closed and retaining them in assembled relationship, said jaws having spaced shanks which maybe pressed together to open the jaws, the shank of the one-piece jaw having at one end thereof a hook which opens toward the other end of the one-piece jaw, the shank of the other jaw and the hook being spaced apart a sufficient distance when the jaws are open to enable a clotheslines to pass therebetween and into the hook, and said shank of the other jaw and said arm being sufiiciently close when the jaws are closed to prevent retraction of the clothesline from the book.

3. A clothespin, according to claim 2, wherein the hook is in closely spaced end-to-end relationship with the shank of said other jaw when the jaws are closed.

4. A clothespin comprising a pair of opposed jaws, pivot-forming means connecting the jaws together intermediate their opposite ends, said means comprising flanges on the jaws and projecting toward each other, one of the flanges terminating in closely spaced relationship to its opposite jaw and the other flange bearing against its opposite jaw adjacent to but spaced from said one flange, cooperating article-gripping portions on the jaws on one side of the pivot-forming means, spring means biasing the clothes-gripping portions together and retaining the jaws in assembled relationship, said jaws having spaced-apart shanks on the other side of the pivot-forming means and at which the jaws may be pressed together to spread apart the clothes-gripping portions, one of said shanks integrally extending beyond the end of the other shank and including a leg reversely turned toward Said other shank, the

integral shank extension and leg constituting an open hook for receiving a clothesline when the clothes-gripping portions are spread apart with the clothesline entering the hook between the leg and said other shank, the leg having a free end and, when the clothes-gripping portions are closed, the distance between the leg and other shank being less than the distance across the hook at the said free end of the leg.

5. A clothespin, according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the leg and other shank is a minor fractional part of the distance across the hook at said free end of the leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,725 Bray June 3, 1884 823,889 McChesney June 19, 1906 1,132,170 Dewinsky Mar. 16, 1915 1,284,556 Bailey Nov. 12, 1918 1,368,839 Richards Feb. 15, 1921 2,920,365 Colangele Ian. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 909,046 France Nov. 19, 1945 1,094,052 France Dec. 1, 1954 1,110,474 France Oct. 12, 1955 

